Effects of smoking and occupational exposure on peripheral airway function in young cereal grain workers

摘要: We studied two groups of young male cereal grain elevator workers: 82 lifetime nonsmoking workers (2.5 +/- 1.2 yr dust exposure) who were 22.7 3.5 age, and smoking (6.1 4.1 pack-years smoking) individually matched to the for age (22.7 3.3 yr) years work in industry (2.6 1.3 yr). also following community control subjects: subjects (22.8 3.7 yr), +/0 3.6 history (6.0 4.0 pack-years). measured forced expiratory volume one second (FEV1), vital capacity (FVC), FEV1/FVC %, maximal mid-expiratory flow rate (FEF25-75), at 50% (Vmax50) 25% (Vmax25) a flow-volume maneuver, percent increase FVC breathing mixture 80% helium-20% oxygen as compared with air (delta Vmax50), slope Phase III single breath nitrogen test N2/L). assessed prevalence respiratory symptoms from responses standardized questionnaire. Smoking was associated an increased cough, wheezing, dyspnea, mildly decreased %. Two variables used indexes small airway dysfunction, lower delta Vmax50 higher N2/L. Only group both smoked occupationally exposed had evidence dysfunction. The differences N2/L greater than expected additive model, suggesting that combined effects occupational exposure inhalation cigarette smoke may have synergistic effect leading dysfunction workers.